Second phase dedicated to public: First phase of the memorial was inaugurated by former chief minister in 2016.

CM Capt Amarinder Singh inaugurating the second phase of the Jung-e-Azadi memorial in Kartarpur near Jalandhar on Tuesday, (HT Photo)

Chief minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh appreciated former chief minister (CM) Parkash Singh Badal for his vision while inaugurating the second phase of the ‘Jang-e-Azadi’ memorial, which was the brainchild of the latter.

The memorial was an ambitious project of the Shiromani Akali Dal-led government, the foundation stone of which was laid by Badal in 2014 and the first phase of the memorial was inaugurated by him in 2016.

Captain, besides allocating arrears amounting to Rs 9.5 crore towards phase 1, also announced Rs 25 crore for its third phase, which is yet to begin. He assured full support of his government for the completion of the next phase.

“I appreciate Parkash Singh Badal for his vision for giving the state two prestigious projects, including the memorial at Kartarpur and the War Heroes Memorial at Amritsar, which will imbue people with the spirit of India’s independence struggle,” he said.

Captain, while addressing the gathering, directed the memorial committee to allow free entry of the families of all freedom fighters, and also asked it to depute tour guides to educate children about the monument’s significance.

He also suggested the inscription of names of all freedom fighters from Punjab on the monument.

While recalling his post-tsunami visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to undertake rehabilitation work there, Captain said he was moved after reading the names of the martyrs, including thousands from Punjab, who had made the supreme sacrifice at the Port Blair jail.

Sunil Jakhar, state Congress president, urged the chief minister to issue directions to the education department to make visits by school students to the memorial and other such historical places mandatory, in order to imbibe the spirit of patriotism in them.

Meanwhile, tourism and cultural affairs minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said the memorial will act as a bridge to connect youngsters with their glorious legacy of patriotism.